Compare towns
Barre vs Highgate vs St. Johnsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Highgate has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.8%).
St. Johnsbury has the most kids (21% under 18).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Barre | Highgate | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
3,528Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44±7.4Highest about the VT average |
42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
| Highgate and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Highgate and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Highgate and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$280,500±$21kHighest 11% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$914±$44 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,916 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48%±11Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #43 of 70 in VT | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.